Lahti re-elected in Finland

Lahti has held the post since January 2018 and, in the meantime, has seen Finland qualify for UEFA EURO 2020, the country’s first appearance in a major tournament – reflecting the ”Dream of the Generations” promotional campaign launched by Lahti in the first year of his presidency.

Lahti emphasised that football in Finland is in an unprecedented position at the moment. “We are doing better than ever,” he said. “We have had success, and we have also earned appreciation. This is based on the work of the whole footballing community, both now and in the past.”

“However, we cannot be satisfied with things as they stand now. We must further develop our work at all levels. The key is that top-class football is both interesting and successful, but this can only be achieved through good co-operation between the association and the clubs.”

A new strategy for Finnish football and futsal was also approved by the FA assembly in Turku, which will form the basis of work for the next four years. “We need to invest in the everyday life of the players, making certain that all players at all levels have a capable and educated coach,” said Lahti. “We also need to get the clubs stronger than today, so that they can move forward. We can assist the clubs, but the actual work needs to be done at club level.”

“And finally, we want to be the number one sport in Finland,” he added, “which means extra focus on women’s and girls’ football.”